Improvement in furnaces for steam-boilers



N, PETERS. PHOTO'LITHOGHAPHER, WASHINGTON, 11.0.

Unire STATES HENRY GERNER, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPPLQVEMENT IN FU FLNACES.V FOR STEAM-BOILERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 40,61@ dated November 17', 1863.

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY GERNER, of the city, county, and State of New York, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Steam-Boiler Furnaces; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, in which- 'Figure l represents a longitudinal vertical section of my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same, taken in the plane indicated by the line x x, Fig. l. Fig. is a transverse vertical section of the same. Fig. 4 isa front elevation of the same. Fig. 5 is a detached transverse vertical section of the shutters when closed.

Similar letters of reference in the several views indicate corresponding parts,

The object of this invention is to graduate the supply of atmospheric air to the furnace of a steam-boiler, particularly above the grate, in such a manner that the gaseous components ot' the fuel are consumed as well as the solid parts, and the heating qualities of said fuel are fully developed and applied to the best possible advantage. The means which I employ to effect this purpose will be readily understood from the following description: A represents a steam-boiler of any desired construction, whichis supported by the brick wall B. U is the grate, to which access is had through the fire-door D. The body of this door forms a deep case, c, which projects into the throat b, built in the brick wall and leading to the grate. An opening, c, in the face or front side of the door gives access to the interior of the case c, which forms a zigzag passage, being provided with abutments d, extending from opposite sides, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. rIhe inner side of the casca is perforated with slots e, and the opening c in the front side of the door is graduated by a slide, f, which is adjusted in the desired position by a set-screw, g. By these means the quantity of air admitted through the nre-door to the fuel above the grate can be graduated or adjusted according to the fuel used and to the intervals at which fresh fuel is added, and the airthus admitted is divided into a series of thin currents, which will supply the necessary quantity of oxygen to consume the gaseous components of the fuel without perceptibly lowering the temperature in the furnace. A further supply of atmospheric air is admitted to the furnace through a series of shutters, E, which are in serted into the front plate, F, above the tiredoor D. These shutters are hun g upon tenons like ordinary blind slats, and each of them is provided with an arm, h, (see Fig. 5,) that is pivoted to a vertical bar, t', so that by raising or lowering this bar the several shutters are opened'or closed simultaneously. The bar i is fastened at its upper end to a -lever, j, the outer end of which connects by a hook, lc, with the stem of the regulator G.

The regulator which l use, in order to regulate automatically the supply of air through the shutters E is shown in Fig. 4, the front plate of the same having been removed to expose the interior of the same. It is suspended from a pivot, l, and lilled with mercury or other suitable liquid, and its form is such that said mercury has a tendency to turn down that side containing the chamber m. and to accu mula-te in said chamber. At the proper intervals, and shortly after fresh fuel has been introduced in the furnace, the regulator is turned down by its handle, thereby throwing the shutters wide open and causing the mercury suddenly to run down to the chamber n opposite the chamber m. From the chamber' n the mercury passes through the zigzag chan nel odown to the lowest point of the regulator, causing the same gradually to turn, and allowing the mercury to pass Slowly through channel p and valve q back to the chamber m. During this time the shutters will gradually close, and the quantity of air admitted through the shutters E is automatically regulated, and the gaseous products rising from afresh charge of fuel are supplied with the requisite quantity of oxygen to insure a perfect combustion. The air admitted through the shutters E passes through a series of narrow slots, r, between or in fire-bricks H, so that the same is divided into a number of thin currents before it strikes the fuel, and the injurious cooling inuence of a strong draft is avoided. The gaseous components of fuel in escaping from the grate have to pass through a series of perforated partitions, I', built up of fire-brick or other fire-proof material under the boiler and behind the bridge-wall of the grate. The perforations in said partition are effected by arranging the bricks, as clearly shown in Fi. 3, and by these partitions the necessary telnperature for igniting the gases in the furnace will be insured at all times. The flame in passing through said partitions will raise the temperature of the bricks to a high degree', and whenever a fresh charge of fuel is introduced into the furnace the gases rising from the same as they pass through the perforated partitions will be heated suiiciently to ignite as soon as the requisite quantity of oxygen is furnished.

These improvements are equally applicable to furnaces Wit-l1 an artificial or forced draft, and Without a chimney or stack, and also to such in which the draft is effected by means of a chimney. In the first case the regulatorl Gr may be connected with a valve or damper in the air-supply pipe, and the blast is direct ed into a closed ash'pit under and also through shutters E over the grate. No chiinneyis required, and the complete and economical coinbustion of the fuel is effected entirely by the action of the regulator and of the regenerating-partitions I. In the second case, Where ihe draft is effected by a chimney, the arrangement of the Various parts is substaniially such as shown in the drawings, and it will only be altered to suit boilers of different constructions.

My improvements are also applicable for different kinds of fuel-as bituminous and also anthracite coal-and in order to reap their full benefit it is only necessary to gage the Asupply of air according to the nature of the fuel to be used.

That I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The iire-door D, arranged with abutinents l inthe case a, and with slots e in its rear-side, and an adjustable opening, c, in its face, in the `manner and `for the purposes shown and described.

2. The shutters E, in combination Withthe 4. The perforated partitions I, made of reproof material, and arranged under the boiler A in the manner and for the purpose herein shown and described.

HENRY GERNER. Witnesses:

Trios. S. J. DOUGLAS, WVM. REETH. 

